By William Selmah
The Executive Mansion on Monday disclosed that President George Manneh Weah is calling a dialogue meeting between the two leading rival candidates in the deadlocked Montserrado County District #15 By-elections—ALP’s Telia Urey and CDC’s Abu Kamara.
Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Smith Toby disclosed to the local OK FM radio in Monrovia Monday morning that President Weah is deeply concerned about the wave of violence that has marred the By-election, including last Saturday’s riot in Logan Town.
Mr. Smith said that the Liberian leader wants to bring the two candidates together so that they can calm their supporters and advise them that violence is counter- productive to the democratic gains the nation has made so far.
He said President Weah believes that struggle over a single Representative seat should not be allowed to derail the 15 years of peace Liberia has enjoyed so far.
Earlier at a news conference on Sunday, Ms. Urey claimed that Saturday’s incident in District #15 was an assassination attempt on her life.
She blamed the CDC Standard Bearer, President Weah for the surge in violence in Electoral District #15 in Montserrado County.
A vehicle belonging to Telia Urey, who ran on the ticket of four collaborating opposition political parties, ran into a building on Bushrod Island, while her driver was trying to escape rioting in Logan Town. The ALP candidate was however not in the vehicle at the time.
She blamed violence on supporters of the ruling CDC, since President Weah pronounced that no Urey can win an election under him, while canvassing for the CDC, the statement has served as basis for violence in District 15.
Ms. Urey explained that a group of CDCians had earlier stopped her from entering a church where she had gone to a cleric on the island on grounds that the venue was one of the polling centers quarantined by the National Elections (NEC).
But she insisted she would enter because the quarantined results were already at the NEC headquarters and not at the church.
It was following those exchanges, Urey said, that a group of stone throwing people she described as supporters of the CDC attacked her.
But the Chairman of the CDC Mulbah Morlu has rubbished her claims, saying she stage managed the burning of her own car in order to smear the image of the CDC.
NEC recently called for a partial rerun of a recent representative by-election conducted in district 15 after hearing complaints of electoral fraud filed by the four collaborating opposition parties.
They include the former ruling Unity Party, the Alternative National Congress, the Liberty Party and the All Liberian Party following the July 29 by-election after the post was made vacant by the death of Adolf Lawrence.
Earlier on Sunday, President Weah issued a statement describing Saturday’s Logan Town violence as “appalling”.
BELOW IS FULL TEXT OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION PRESS RELEASE ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2019:
Monrovia, Liberia: The attention of the Executive Mansion is drawn to the appalling electoral violence which occurred on Saturday, August 17, in district 15 between supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change and the four collaborating opposition parties.
Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean and the Liberia National Police have been mandated to carry out a thorough and expeditious investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice, irrespective of who is involved.
The maintenance of the peace is a high priority on the government’s agenda, and it will spare no effort in ensuring the protection of lives and properties.
Electoral violence in all its forms will not be tolerated, and individuals who disrupt the peace will face the full weight of the law. President George M. Weah has mandated the Liberian national police and other security agencies to be proactive and bring to book anyone engage in violence.
The government remains committed to ensuring that all Liberians exercise their democratic rights. Notwithstanding, political parties should ensure that their supporters remain peaceful at all times. Political leaders will be held accountable for disruptive behavior, regardless of their political alignment.
Meanwhile, the President urges candidates and political leaders to restart the process of engagement under the auspices of the National Elections Commission Inter-Party Consultative Dialogue, while at the same time warning against the use of vitriolic rhetoric that could lead to violence.
The Liberian Leader, Dr. George Manneh Weah calls on residents of district 15 to refrain from violence. He said it is the responsibility of every Liberian to maintain the peace the country enjoys.